I Know Your Secrets
by Giton
Summary: (My interpretation of) What happened to Crais and Stark in Talyn's Den


_Disclaimer on punctuation and spacing: seems to take some out!_

_Disclaimer: "Farscape" is a protected trademark and I'm just borrowing the characters. I promise to give them back once I've used them, hopefully more or less intact._

_My interpretation of what happened after the last scene between Stark and Crais in Meltdown. Some conversations have been taken verbatim from the show for the flow of the story. No infringement is intended. What secrets did Stark find out while linked to Talyn?_

Title: I Know Your Secrets

Author: GitonCrais

Rating: General

Category: epfillers/additon

Spoilers: Meltdown

Keywords: Crais and Stark in Talyn's Den

Summary: (My interpretation of) What happened to Crais and Stark in Talyn's Den

**I Know Your Secrets**

By GitonCrais

They had survived yet another crisis.

The apparition which had lured Leviathans into the sun was no more, and relative peace was settling once again on board.

Rygel had hurried to the refresher with the excuse that he was feeling very sick after his binging, and he didn't want to see food ever again.

Aeryn and Crichton had looked apologetic and embarrassed about their desire to recreate all over the ship, and had rather sheepishly withdrawn to their quarters.

Crais was well aware that his obsession with being in command had gotten him nowhere.

Still, Crais would have found all of this a mere distraction, relatively speaking, if it hadn't been for Stark.

Stark! It had been partly Stark's fault that they kept returning to the sun. Granted, it had also been because of Stark that they hadn't perished in that sun. Unfortunately, he was still linked to Talyn, even after everything else had settled down.

Stark's incessant chatter and incoherent thoughts were driving Crais insane. His thought patterns were confusing Talyn and were giving Crais a major headache.

It was obvious that Stark couldn't free himself, nor was he showing any real desire to do so.

Curbing his impatience, Crais finally went in search for him.

Stark finally allowed him access to the lower tiers of Talyn and Crais went down deeper than he had ever gone before. Making his way through unfamiliar passages and corridors, past recesses (some of which looked as though they were newly budded), he was surprised to find a rudimentary Pilot's Den in the innermost bowels of Talyn.

Until now, Crais had never been in doubt that room had been bred out of the genetic design.

During the time that he had commanded the breeding programme, he had done his best to insure that all the genetic data specifically relating to the building of the Den and other structures that were uniquely Leviathan, but that seemed unnecessary to a Peacekeeper vessel, had been deleted. He hadn't been quite sure that all the genetic data could be altered to breed this out. Now it appeared that some of the structures were imbedded too deeply in the genetic makeup to be eliminated after all. He wondered what other surprises lay in wait for him.

Neither had Talyn ever given him any indication that he had built a Pilot's Den. Whether the youngster had even been aware of it himself or not was something to be pondered later.

If Talyn had known about his Pilot's Den, Crais wondered, why had he kept quiet about it? Crais thought back to Talyn's recent behaviour. Had he been thinking of replacing Crais, or had the structure just evolved on its own? Talyn should have at least been aware of its development, even if he were not consciously involved in planning or constructing it but he had kept the information from Crais.

Crais approached Stark with one of his knives. He could almost smell the fear on the Banik. The Banik had been just as privy to his thoughts as Crais had been to the Banik's. Stark had every reason to fear him.

Crais started cutting through the ganglia attached to Stark's body, grunting slightly when the tendrils were tougher than he expected. On Crais' insistence, Talyn had already partially mentally withdrawn from that area. Hopefully, this would lessen the pain that Talyn would feel as the coils were cut away. Crais didn't want to hurt the youngster any more than was necessary.

Crais spoke quietly to Stark, "The Separatus was not designed for any species but a Pilot. What you did was beyond foolish." He separated a coil and Stark moved, "Hold still!"

The knife moved close to Stark's body.

"You cut me!"

"You moved."

Another slash made Stark release his breath forcefully.

Crais cut through the primary nerve sheath. In a slightly hoarse voice he said, "Talyn is now off limits to you. All functions, all programmes, all controls."

All three felt a brief spasm of pain, and then relief as Stark was released from the link.

Stark had never imagined that the experience would be so overwhelming. The controls of myriad functions, impressions, and thoughts had filled his mind all at once, whispering even in the smallest recesses. Talyn had been questioning both him and Crais in a constant stream. The effects of the Drexim on Crais, on Talyn, on himself. All of Talyn's information flowing ceaselessly from both external and internal sensors. Logged data, new data. Stark had tried to sort through it all. Tried to find structure. None had been forthcoming. To structure, to order, one had to be structured first. Stark was anything but structured. Talyn had been confused and Crais angry. When Crais finally severed the main tendril, everything went completely quiet in Stark's mind, and then suddenly he was filled with a consuming fear.

Stark looked at Crais and whispered, "I know."

Crais smiled, "You know nothing."

As he stared at Crais, Stark continued, sounding almost sane, "I know how he feels. What he is thinking."

Crais smiled. Let the poor deluded fool think he knows it all.

Stark continued, "I know how he feels. What he thinks about everything... about you."

Crais replied gently and with some amusement, "Talyn was not of his right mind. Anything you think you experienced (the knife in Crais' hand began to wave slowly, hypnotically in front of Stark's face) must take that in consideration." The knife was very close to Stark's face now, but not quite a threat, not yet.

Stark's voice was laden with triumph but there was also a growing tinge of fear. "I know!"

Crais moved the knife closer to Stark's neck. His eyes were very intent on Stark.

Now there was real fear in Stark's voice but he said bravely, or maybe it was foolishly, especially where Crais was concerned, "Even if you slit my throat, I will still know."

For a moment Crais looked at the Banik, then shook his head and went back to cutting through the remaining ganglia.

Crais cut through the tissue with sudden sharp moves. He didn't want to hurt Talyn. He had no qualms about inadvertently harming Stark. He cut the tendrils as close as he could to Stark's body. Once the cuts healed, it would even benefit the Banik that he had done so.

Stark didn't see it that way. He couldn't read Crais, and especially not after Crais had cut through the major connections. Prior to that, he had heard Talyn's laughter and had then seen Crais smile in response. Stark was sure that the joke had been on his behalf.

"I know your secrets," Stark whispered.

"Do you now?" Crais' smile had not left his face.

"You and Talyn can keep it hidden but not for long." If Stark had meant to cause Crais to doubt, and thus to treat him more gently, he was sorely mistaken.

The smile never wavered as Crais shook his head.

"I will tell them, you know."

Crais straightened up; the knife was again close to Stark's face. Crais asked in a slow measured voice, "You think you will have time to tell them?"

Stark paled visibly and swallowed, "They will never believe it was an accident!"

"Are you sure?" The knife cut so close that it nicked Stark's tunic and made a small pinprick into the fabric.

"Your accuracy with the blade is well-known, they will never believe you just slipped."

Crais smiled, his voice deep, "A sudden movement from Talyn. The after-effects of the Drexim. A surge in the energy levels. I can envision many potential accidents. I would stay very still if I were you." Crais moved to the lower tendrils, "Very still indeed, or else your chances of siring children may be fatally compromised."

Stark let out a high-pitched yelp, which made Crais smile again.

For a moment Crais worked in silence. Then he asked nonchalantly, "So, what secrets did you think you found in Talyn's mind?"

"As if I would tell you," replied Stark arrogantly.

"Yes you will," said Crais sweetly, working on the tendrils attached to Stark's inside leg.

Stark gasped.

In rapid staccato, Stark blurted out, "I know you want to go back to the Peacekeepers."

Crais smiled and stood up, putting his face very close to that of Stark's, the tip of the blade tapping harmlessly on Stark's chest, "That's not a secret. Everyone assumes I will, for all the wrong reasons."

"But I know your real reason," pressed Stark, "You will manipulate the others to come with you."

The smile disappeared from Crais' face and it instantly turned cold, "There is a difference between thoughts, ideas and desires. You had better be certain that you interpret them correctly before you voice them."

Crais went back to working in silence.

Stark watched him for a while, "And what about Aeryn?"

"What about Aeryn," Crais asked without looking up.

"You... want her." Stark's voice was dripping with envy.

Crais chuckled, "Is that the other secret you found?"

"Crichton would..."

A low growl escaped Crais' throat, "I eat boys like Crichton for morning repast, before I even get dressed."

"Still, you want Aeryn! If Crichton knows..."

"Crichton still thinks I do but she is his now. What you know is no secret. Besides, it was...merely a passing attraction."

"But Crichton wouldn't..."

"I don't care much about what Crichton believes or thinks," Crais was no longer amused.

"He would be very interested in knowing about your past with Aeryn..."

Crais stood up and drew closer to Stark, "What about my past with Aeryn?"

"How she came to you at the Shadow Depository..."

"Where I rejected her offer." Crais did not pretend not to know what Stark was hinting at.

Stark smiled smugly, "But you were tempted!"

"Nothing happened, so it is a moot point."

"You were her Commanding Officer..."

"Your point?" Crais had raised an eyebrow; the glitter of amusement had long since left.

Stark drew in a deep breath, would he dare to antagonise Crais further? "As her Commanding Officer, you could have ordered her..."

"And did I," Crais asked, as the amused smile returned.

"Yes... No... It could have been..." Stark was confused.

Crais smiled, "You had better be certain of your assumptions."

Stark clamped his mouth shut and glared at Crais.

Crais went back to work again. "Anything else," he asked offhandedly after a little while.

Crais wondered how Stark had been able to stand the repeated interrogations in the Aurora Chair. He seemed so willing to spill all of his knowledge now. Or was it just plain smugness?

"I know about you and Talyn," a thin smile curled around Stark's mouth.

Crais stopped and looked at him in silence, urging him on.

"I know that you are not always in agreement with each other..."

"Who is, all the time? Talyn is sentient, of course we don't always agree." The smile was back, but Crais' eyes remained cold.

"I know what he does when he doesn't agree."

"So do Aeryn and Crichton," replied Crais, "That is not a secret anymore."

"You can't always control him," Stark's smugness was back.

Crais' smile disappeared and his face became impassive.

Stark felt triumph, "The great Captain Crais! Not always in control. Sometimes it is Talyn who controls you! Talyn controls...you control...Talyn controls..."

Crais' free hand balled into a fist. The hand holding the knife gripped it tightly in suppressed anger. He had to resist a sudden urge to plunge it into the Banik's chest.

This time it was Stark who smiled as he took in Crais' reaction.

Whether it was because Crais had seen the Banik's smile or for some other reason, Stark saw Crais relax as he returned to his task.

"And those are the 'secrets' you have found," Crais' amusement was back in his voice, "They hardly count as secrets. Mere assumptions." He was almost done.

"You didn't know about the Den!"

"No, I didn't. That was a surprise to me too."

"You are worried that Talyn wants to have a true Pilot."

"He might need one...once I can no longer navigate him," Crais replied calmly.

"He might want one sooner than you care to think and then he will kill you!" Stark hissed.

A strong shudder went through Talyn.

Crais smiled, "Talyn disagrees with you."

"Does he, Crais? Or is he angry that I found out?"

A mere hint of doubt in Crais' down-turned face was quickly dispelled. He looked up, "I don't think so, Stark."

"He could."

"There you go again. Assuming. You don't know anything. You have just seen glimpses of ideas, half-formed desires perhaps, but nothing you could term secrets... If you want to stay in good health, you had better think again before voicing them."

There was a note of triumph in Stark's voice, "Why? Because some of them are real secrets?"

Crais' sighed wearily, "No, because some of the others may be harmed through your meddling, and then they will look for the one who got them into that position."

"Hah! Why would they be harmed?"

Crais rose and stood in front of Stark, his face only a hand's breath away as his voice dropped, "Because I will not tolerate being insulted by lies, and neither will Talyn."

Stark swallowed deeply and stared at Crais.

Crais cut through the last tendril, "There. You are free."

Stark stood still, wondering what Crais would do. Crais looked at him, his face impassive.

"You're letting me go?"

An amused smile, "Why shouldn't I?

"But I know..."

"You know nothing."

"I could..."

"You could...but you won't." Crais crossed his arms over his chest, "Now go!"

Stark scampered out of the Den.

Crais released the breath he had been holding and looked around him. Slowly the smile re-appeared.

"I really wasn't aware of the Den, Crais."

"I know, Talyn. I'm not worried."

"You're not?"

"No, you might need one...later...when you are older. It makes sense now."

"You are not afraid that I will replace you before that time?"

"Should I be?"

"No."

Crais smiled.

There was a brief silence.

"You let the Banik go?"

"Yes."

"But what happens if he has stumbled on the truth? What if he speaks out?"

Crais' smile was gentle, "He didn't. And even if he did, he's too confused to sort through all the thoughts. He doesn't even know that he might know it."

"He might," Talyn sounded worried.

"There is nothing to be afraid of, Talyn. He doesn't know our secret."

**THE END**


End file.
